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Driscoll on the Bible’s use of harsh language…

Here might be an example of Driscoll being more honest and vulnerable than I’ve seen him in the past. Especially when he remarks that the use of harsh language should be infrequent and confesses that he’s over-used it to compensate for the pastors who are too cowardly to speak strongly.

And for the record, I think Driscoll’s right on when he suggests that much of Christianity is captivated by what he calls “Dearly-belovedism”; sappy, touchy-feely pastoring that IS cowardly and unBiblical.

I appreciate these Driscoll thoughts as a marker of his growing. If I could be permitted to wish out loud here,

1) I wish that he would recognize his method (preaching for an extended time with 30 min or so of free-flowing filler) contributes to his old, unwise, unloving ways because it encourages a “Shooting-off-at-the-mouth-while-claiming-it’s-the-Spirit-ism.”
2) I also wish that he would be ruthlessly honest that much of his persona up to this point has been built on what he’s repenting for, and that in order to grow as a leader and prove his integrity in others’ eyes, he may need to err on the less controversial side, consider his more controversial phrases that keep coming up and expunge some of them from his vocabulary, and maybe write more of his sermons out to guard his tongue.

*update*
Ok, I’m done with critiques of Driscoll for a little while. I’m starting to feel a little dirty spending this much time on it, some of which I’m sure is conviction of the Spirit. *update*

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5 thoughts on “Driscoll on the Bible’s use of harsh language…”

Good video. Saw that a while back. Don’t have much of a comment, but it does take some guts to admit mistakes and put it on youtube. It would be interesting to hear a little more from him on how he’s working on that issue.

I have to say that of all Driscoll’s distinctive traits, his language is probably the thing that bothers me least. [And, for the record, when I spent two Sundays in Seattle last year, and went along to Mars Hill, I heard nothing that I’d be worried about my mother or niece hearing.] Sure, the sermons would be better if they were shorter – but so would mine!

The personality cult surrounding the man; the abrasive/aggressive management style described in Confessions of a Reformation Rev; the gun-toting response to a possible burglary: those things concern me. The language, less so.

Thanks for your input. The things you’re worried about round out the picture a bit and stand as a test case for us to consider not so much with Driscoll alone, but rather the church at large. Are these qualities we tend to lift up in the Christian subculture when it comes to leadership? And if so, how can we move beyond them to a more communal, more humble, more selfless way of being in the world? Those are the bigger questions for me, because it seems many of the Driscoll issues are wider church issues. No need to throw a guy under the bus for his struggles when it’s an epidemic in the wider church.

I agree with some of your points, but I still really like the guy and his teachings. I don’t know, I guess I can just see past a lot of what is said about him to the heart of the matter and his heart is for God and Jesus and for people to know Him. I like that. He is also really real, and having gone to a Christian college, I was tired of not being real. I am a real person, with real problems, that don’t get solved by a simple prayer request for help and putting a smile on my face.

Well, I haven’t criticized him publicly for a long time. Again, my only major Driscoll critique before the last couple of days came over a year ago. So I don’t think I have an obsession. With my critiques being said, I think my post title from a year ago about captures the way I feel about Driscoll; “I love/can’t stand Mark Driscoll.” So, I do appreciate his desire to be real, and I do appreciate a good amount of his teachings. And it’s because of the great desires he has, and the great communication gifts he has, that I make some of my stronger statements. “To whom much is given, much is required,” right? He’s got a whole lot of people watching him, and like it or not, he is the only Jesus a whole lot of people will ever see because of his prominence. He must pursue wisdom, humility, and selfless love in this respect for all of those made in the image of God.

So that’s where I’m coming from. Thanks for having the courage to comment; it’s not something I take for granted. I am tired of not being real too. While saying this, I realize I have many different layers of masks I need to continue to take off in pursuit of truth, honesty, and transparency. You’re right, if a healthy Christian life is defined by a simple prayer request and a smile regardless of circumstance, we haven’t gotten to know one another and have turned discipleship into a twisted shadow of what it is meant to be. Keep seeking the Way of Jesus. The hardest and best road to walk on.